Shoe-tree



G A. BRADY.

SHOE TREE. APPucATlbn FILED MAR. s, 1921.

Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

INVENTOI? Arm/mm GEORGE A BRADY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOE-TREE.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 3, 1922.

Application filed March 1, 1921. Serial No. 448,779.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnoncn A. BRADY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented a new and Improved Shoe-Tree, of which the following is a description.

The general object of my invention is to provide a shoe tree having novel means whereby the tree will automatically adjust itself to conform to the lines of the shoe and will preserve the normal shape and form of the shoe without stretching or distortingit in any way.

A more specific object of the invention is to produce a practical embodiment of the invention simple in construction and permitting of its manufacture at a low cost.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example I of the invention.

Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved tree illustrating the same applied to a shoe shown in sectional side view;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view' of the tree.

In carrying out my invention in accordance with the illustrated example, form elements 10 are provided on the tree at each side at the front end adapted to be inserted within a shoe A at the toe. The form elementslO are attached to side springs 11 within the tree and secured to said elements as by rivets 12 or other means. The springs 11 have shanks or tangs 13 secured by a pivot 15 to a body advantageously in the form of a longitudinal bar composed of slidable front and rear sections let, 14. The

springs extend from the rear securing ends forwardly in the form of arms 16 which curve laterally away from the medial line of the tree and at the forward ends of said arms 16, the springs arch transversely termlnating in resilient side members 17.

With the described arrangement if the pressure on the form plates-10 is directly sidewise, the springs 11 will yield at the arch of the side members 17 that the form plates may have parallel movement toward each other. On the other hand if pressure is exerted on the elements 10 at the toe, said elements may move toward each other in convergent planes, the arms 16 of the springs at. this time yielding. Thus, the springs may yield in two directions to the form elements, the one direction transversely andthe other longitudinally. The result is that the form elements will adjust themselves to a wide range of shoe widths.

That the tree may be adjusted to various lengths of shoes, the sections 14, 14: may be given sliding movement one on the other. Said sections have respectively keepers 18, 19 thereon, the one keeper of one section embracing the other section and said sections are to be held in adjusted position by any suitable means, such as a clamp screw passing through the slot 21 in the'oneslidable section and having threaded engagement with the other section, a washer 22 preferably being employed in connection with the screw.

To the rear end of the bar sections 14, 14 an arched spring 23 is secured and is adapted to be positioned at the inner surface of' the shoe counter to exert a suflicient tension to maintain the shoe straight. i

I would'state, in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A shoe tree having form elements at the front-end of the tree at the sides, and

spring means carrying said elements, said spring means including longitudinally disposed members yieldable to pressure on said elements in convergent planes, and members yieldable transversely to movements of the elements toward each other in approximately parallel planes.

2. A shoe tree including a body, spring means on the body at the front and presenting resilient members ranging generally lengthwise of the tree, and transversely arched resilient members on the front ends of said longitudinal members; together with form elements carried by said arched members.

3. A shoe tree including separate form elements at the sides of the tree, spring means resiiientiy sustaining said form ele ments to permit them to accommodate themselves to varying shapes of shoes, an elongated body carrying said resilient means, 5 and a spring on the body at the rear end adapted to tension the shoe at the counter;

4. A shoe tree having a body, form ele- GEORGE A; BRADY. 

